Governor Jenniffer González presented the Final Report of the Multisectoral Advisory Board on Puerto Rico’s Medicaid Program. Medicaid currently provides health coverage to about 40% of Puerto Rico’s population. In written statements, González said the report puts the data on the table and shows why Puerto Rico needs a Medicaid solution, affecting thousands of families, older adults, children and people with disabilities.
She said the government has met federal requirements, strengthened oversight of the program and used the additional resources to expand services and improve access. She called for working with Congress, with both parties, to secure a financing structure that gives stability to the health system beyond 2027, adding that waiting until 2028 is not an option.
A funding crisis, she said, would affect patients, doctors, hospitals, providers and the whole economy. Under the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023, the federal medical assistance percentage (FMAP) rose temporarily to 76% through fiscal year 2027, along with increases in the federal allotment. Those funds allowed expanded eligibility, added services and stronger provider reimbursements.
The report states that without congressional action, federal funding could fall by roughly $3.36 billion annually, and the FMAP would return to the 55% set by law. As resident commissioner, González secured Medicaid funding four times for over 1.3 million patients: $295.9 million in 2017, $4.9 billion in 2018, $4.3 billion in 2019, and a $19 billion five-year agreement in 2022.